Opie 308 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 Link Then there is the poor NHL, which can't even get a good scandal going. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WhiteLightning91 105 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 I don't understand why he even mentioned the NHL in that story. What? Because we don't have some scandal going on right now we need to be trashed for that too? f*** off Dan Wetzel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Opie 308 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 Yeah instead of pointing out that the NHL has "clean" athletes that aren't getting arrested and are representing their teams and their team's cities with class, he trashes the NHL for not being dirty enough. Listen I love the UFC, way better than boxing, but he covered the steroids issue with them for 5-7 paragraphs. Yet one sentence about the poor NHL. You are right he would have been better served to not mention them at all. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wing Nut 19 0 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 OOh OOOH! Look a scandal!! Scandal link here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Opie 308 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 That's a scandal like me picking my nose at work is a scandal!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wing Nut 19 0 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 That's a scandal like me picking my nose at work is a scandal!!!!!! Im not touching your Keyboard! ....and what about the Rick Toccet thing isn't that a scandal? Don't get me wrong I would prefer to have none it puts hockey on a pedestal that other sports can't reach. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GMRwings1983 8,794 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 All these sports journalists talk out of their ass and s*** out of their mouth so who cares what their opinion about hockey is. The only way these so-called analysts would talk about Crosby or Ovechkin is if either of those guys got arrested with cocaine in their possession plus a dead hooker in the trunk. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dixie Wingslover 0 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 Anybody else here find it ironic that the only sport that allows fighting ( sort of) has the classiest players outside the game????? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Opie 308 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 That is because fighting is used to police the game, and it is a part of the game a part of strategy. Look at the thread with Feds fighting. He wasn't a tough guy/fighter. But fighting is a tool to be used by NHL players. In other sports fighting is done out of emotion, or to show that you are not the wimp. Same as carrying a gun into a night club. It is done to show that you won't take crap from anyone. BTW I have slowly begun to hate the NBA. I grew up following guys like Larry Bird, Magic, Micheal, yes these guys had problems off of the field. But they were the same problems everyday people have, mistresses, gambling. But do you remember ever hearing a story about Jordan being busted with his Desert Eagle and firing shots into the ceiling of a club. NO, that is why I have a hard time with the New York media bashing Arod. I am not supporting infidelity however, it is a little less severe than say running a drug operation, training dogs to fight, or shooting at some one in the club. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b.shanafan14 733 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 I think the best thing about the sport of Hockey is the fact that when we do end up on SportsCenter every once in a blue moon, its because of actual good play. I swear, T.O. and Bonds have paid timeslot on SC because we are constantly given updates on stupid non-news bulls***." Oh wait, TO is a classless duesche bag, deja vu, thought that was on yesterday's SportCenter". Its ridiculus that the one sport that doesn't consist of athletes doping, shooting up strip clubs, getting busted on drug charges, or other criminal behavior, and the only sport in which competitors are allowed to stand up and face each other man to man is always brushed off in the states as lame. Just sad that sports have become more about tabloids and scandal and soap-opera then actual competition, fair play, and class. I'll never understand why a great hockey game, 4-5 final decided in closing seconds gets two goals shown, if that, while I have to hear about who TO is calling *** for 10 minutes. And don't even get me started on "Who's Now", Derek Jeter ain't even the best on his team, but hey he dated this celebrity and that celebrity and New Yorkers love him, and thats plenty to beat the only NHL player on the poll. Sports these days are sad as hell, I primarily stick to NHL and NCAA football these days.... and even college football polls have gotten ridiculus... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hank 0 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 Link Then there is the poor NHL, which can't even get a good scandal going. In all seriousness the articles right and it's one of the issues the NHL faces. Unfortunately that's what's wrong with sports today. Look at ESPN. They went from reporting scores and highlights to villifying athletes or putting them on a pedestal and promoting the poop out of them. They're creating legends out of thin air. You don't have to look any further than Michael Vick. Look at his stats and W-L record. This guy could be the most overrated QB of all time when you consider his endorsements, salary and exposure compared to what he's actually done. I mean, the hapless Lions shut him down a couple of years ago. That's embarassing when you see guys like Harrington light you up. There's nothing better than a scandal because it keeps the league in the public eye. Mark Cuban got ripped a new one for saying that the Kobe rape case would help the NBA but he wasn't wrong in saying that. I guarentee you if the NHL had loud mouths like T.O. or losers like Mike Vick or Pacman Jones we'd be getting a lot more exposure. But that's why I love the NHL. It's full of humble and NORMAL athletes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b.shanafan14 733 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 That is because fighting is used to police the game, and it is a part of the game a part of strategy. Look at the thread with Feds fighting. He wasn't a tough guy/fighter. But fighting is a tool to be used by NHL players. In other sports fighting is done out of emotion, or to show that you are not the wimp. Same as carrying a gun into a night club. It is done to show that you won't take crap from anyone. BTW I have slowly begun to hate the NBA. I grew up following guys like Larry Bird, Magic, Micheal, yes these guys had problems off of the field. But they were the same problems everyday people have, mistresses, gambling. But do you remember ever hearing a story about Jordan being busted with his Desert Eagle and firing shots into the ceiling of a club. NO, that is why I have a hard time with the New York media bashing Arod. I am not supporting infidelity however, it is a little less severe than say running a drug operation, training dogs to fight, or shooting at some one in the club. i'm with you, i grew up a HUGE Bulls fan during the Three-Peat years and loved the NBA, wouldn't miss a game, now I can't watch it. Those were the good ol' days when Rodman was the worse you had, and he was actually a pretty good guy. Now NFL and NBA are all thugs... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HuntsVegas Baby 0 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 Im not touching your Keyboard! ....and what about the Rick Toccet thing isn't that a scandal? Don't get me wrong I would prefer to have none it puts hockey on a pedestal that other sports can't reach. Exactley! Tocchet Gambling Probe, Chris Simon whacking people blindside and the Bert thing and many many more! We have our own issues in our sport, it's just nobody covers Hockey whether it's good or bad. Apparently, a mediocre day in basketball is still considered more not worhty than a really bad day in Hockey. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Opie 308 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 All of those things (except Tocchet) where on the ice issues, same with McSorely, or the fight between pistons and Pacers. It is the off the field/ice issues that are what makes these guys unbelievable. They want to use sports as a way to get out of the ghetto, but they continue to carry the thug attitude. You don't see a guy come over here from Kenya to play hoops and still run around new york with a spear do you no. He has the where with all to adjust his life to his new surroundings. If you live in the suburbs you are expected to have a certain behavior pattern. Certain things in the suburbs would be despicable in the ghetto and vice versa. But if a person says they want to play a sport to help them get out of whatever environment they were in. They should then leave that part of their personality behind as well, or they will never leave that environment. I know there are far more players that come from a horrible part of the world and live impoverished lives, and can act civil, it is not that it is an inherent life style. Just because you grew up that way doesn't mean you can't change. It is a life style choice that these guys are making, I guess is my point. Trading Places is a great movie that depicts how this change can happen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
b.shanafan14 733 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 i agree with you 110% here, and I feel really strongly on these issues. I'll never understand how you can leave a place and talk about how s***ty it was and hard it was, then when you are getting paid millions of dollars to play a game, you absolutely GOTTA go to the club with a gun, because being a 250-325lbs professional football player isn't enough for you do feel like a man. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kp-Wings 3 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 (edited) Most sports journalists don't care about the NHL. The only ones who do are usually from Detroit, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, or Boston. After that, it's scarce. It's like what others said: the only time anybody would give someone like Crosby actual mainstream media attention is if he either killed someone, was having illegal sex and it was made public (prostitution), he was busted for having drugs, if he abused animals (ala Michael Vick), or if he beat his wife, or girlfriend, or a women in general. It's a proven fact: the majority of sports media likes villians and bad guys. They don't actually care about the sport itself. They only want stories that they think the American public with a 5 second attention span will find interesting. Killing, drugs, and most of that other stuff I mentioned all falls into that catagory. That's generally why the NHL is left out: there aren't a lot of bad people in the NHL like there is in the NFL, NBA, etc. etc. That's just how it goes. edited for grammar Edited July 26, 2007 by Kp-Wings Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auxlepli 17 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 (edited) I e-mailed Wetzel with the link to that Staal story. Easy enough article to write given all the bad press sports is garnering these days. Oh and to prove I can't let a horse die in peace ... that Wetzel NHL comment belongs on ESPN. It's more of the same for the lowly NHL. Even when it's doing something right it's doing something wrong. Edited July 26, 2007 by auxlepli Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SouthernWingsFan 854 Report post Posted July 26, 2007 (edited) Insert overembelished post on how all media outlets need to pay attention to the NHL *HERE* Anyways, I don't really care all that much if the NHL or hockey isn't getting much pub. I like it and that isn't going to change anytime soon whether it's popular with the general population or not. With that out of the way, hockey isn't void of some bad incidents lately not including the lockout. Bertuzzi/Moore, McSorely/Brashear, etc. Comparing those incidents to something like the Pistons-Pacers incident or Michael Vick current drama is comparing apples to oranges in a way, but the league has it's bad publicity days infrequently from such big incidents. With that being said though, I rarely hear of any "minor" bad incidents from hockey players that much (outside of drunk Belfour every now and then ), not much stupid s**t for drunk driving, causing a ruckus at a gathering, disturbing the peace, etc. etc. There's usually no drama with the NHL along those lines, which I absolutely love. I'm a pretty dull/boring person when it comes to being "entertained". I just like people that work and go about their business and try not to make a big fuss about things every single day, I don't like drama. I'm not an exciting person. Edited July 26, 2007 by SouthernWingsFan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest jaytan Report post Posted July 27, 2007 ...They want to use sports as a way to get out of the ghetto, but they continue to carry the thug attitude. You don't see a guy come over here from Kenya to play hoops and still run around new york with a spear do you no.... Fantastic analogy! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
auxlepli 17 Report post Posted July 27, 2007 Ghetto has street cred today. Athletes don't play sports to get out, they play sports to make money. It's all aboot mo' money and mo ho's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Opie 308 Report post Posted July 27, 2007 So I was doing my "just got to work and want to check out sports scores" roaming through the Yahoo sports pages and the main article is about the class that Tony Gwynn and Cal Jr. Possessed when they played. So funny how this years HOF class in baseball is some of the most respected players that the game has ever seen. Meanwhile back at AT&T Ballpark captain steroids is trying to swing his way past the all time home run record and the Commisioner of the game (as Jon Stewart mentioned on the daily show) has to find constitutional grounds to attend his games. My how the face of sports in America has changed. I was watching the Red Sox last night and they were playing the Indians, I started to feel bad. Because I don't know anything about travis Hafner, but when I looked at his massive torso and his enlarged cranium, instantly I was like Roidhead!!! Gone are the days of Ripken and Gwynn, Magic, Micheal, and Larry, Gone are the Days of Bradshaw and Namath (wow football turned thug and dirty a long time ago LT, The whole Cowboy team), but the NHL still seems to have maintained its image, and that is hurting them more than it is helping them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Opie 308 Report post Posted July 31, 2007 Link In a perfect world, fans across the sporting world would be lining up at the NHL's door. They would be saying, let us in, give us tickets, tell us where to watch you on television, where to buy your jerseys and pennants. True in a perfect world that would be the way things work! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
